Biography
Centre forward Norman Wilkinson was born in Alnwick in Northumberland and came briefly to prominence in January 1950 when Newcastle United showed interest in signing him from North Alliance League side East Tanfield. He later served in the Royal Air Force and played for Northern League side Crook Town, by November 1952 he was stationed full-time in Yorkshire when he joined Hull City on amateur terms – Norman remained an amateur footballer with a day job as a cobbler throughout his football career. After spending the 1952/53 season establishing himself in the City reserves, he began the 1953/54 season in the Tigers’ first team and scored a brace of goals in September 1953 against Nottingham Forest. But the signing of prolific inside right Bob Crosbie in October 1953 saw Wilkinson again moved to the stiffs, where he scored fifteen goals in the Midland League before leaving the Tigers in the 1954 close season.
Wilkinson moved to Division Three North side York City in June 1954 for the princely fee of £10 and embarked on a twelve year career that propelled him to the status of Minstermen club legend (he spent much of his time at York playing with goalkeeper Tommy Forgan, an teammate who also moved from Hull City to York City in the 1954 close season). Strong in the air and hard-working with a loping running style, Wilkinson announced his arrival at Bootham Crescent in style, scoring two goals on his August 1954 debut against Wrexham. The 1954/55 season was notable in the annals of York City’s history, the Minstermen competed at the top of the Division Three North table only to fall seven points short of promotion in fourth place. They also embarked on a remarkable FA Cup run that began with a November 1954 defeat of local Yorkshire League rivals Scarborough and ended with a March 1955 semi-final replay defeat to top flight side Newcastle United played at Sunderland’s Roker Park ground – in between Division One side Tottenham Hotspur were swatted aside in the Fifth Round with Norman netting two goals in a 3-1 victory. He ended his first season at York City with 23 goals to his name.
Wilkinson remained a consistent first team presence for York City during the next ten seasons, typically claiming a double figures goal haul. The Minstermen were unlucky to finish 13th in Division Three North at the end of the 1959/60 season and dropped into the newly formed Division Four, after several seasons of trying York finally won promotion back to the third tier in the 1964/65 season, Wilkinson’s final full season in the first team. He netted two hattricks over the years with York – in April 1957 against Rochdale and in April 1963 against Lincoln City. He played rarely during the 1965/66 season, making his final swansong in May 1966 against Reading. Over a twelve year career Wilkinson scored 143 goals, a club record that extended for 50 plus years and may never be surpassed, in 401 appearances.
Wilkinson left York City in the 1966 close season and had a further season at Wearside League side Annfield Plain, later remaining involved with the Minstermen as a scout. Having served in the RAF prior to and during his time at Hull City and remained a part-time footballer throughout his football league career, Wilkinson had a second career to fall back on when he gave up football and ran a cobblers shop at Annfield Plan in County Durham for many years. He died in Sunderland in January 2011.
Details
Nationality: England
Date/Place of Birth: 16 February 1931, Alnwick
Hull City First Game: 29 August 1953, Bury H (Division Two), 22 years, 194 days old
Hull City Final Game: 3 October 1953, Bristol Rovers A (Division Two), 22 years, 229 days old
Clubs
Crook Town, Hull City (1952-1954), York City (1954-1966), Annfield Plain (1966-1967)
Hull City Record
Career: 8 apps, 3 goals
Norman Wilkinson| Season | LGE App | LGE Gls | FAC App | FAC Gls | FLC App | FLC Gls | EUR App | EUR Gls | OTH App | OTH Gls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1952/53 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1953/54 | 8 | 3 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |